Make-A-Wish America welcomes Thomas Mazloum and Michael Bayley to national board of directors

PHOENIX, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Make-A-Wish America today announced the appointment of Thomas Mazloum, Chairman of Disney Experiences, and Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean, to its national board of directors, deepening the organization's leadership bench as it works to bring hope, strength, and joy to more children with critical illnesses. Both leaders bring decades of experience creating meaningful, joy‑filled moments for families worldwide, expertise that will help guide Make-A-Wish as it scales wish delivery and impact across the United States.

Mazloum leads Disney Experiences, which includes the company's theme parks, resorts, cruise ships, vacation ownership, consumer products, and immersive experiences worldwide. He oversees a team of more than 180,000 cast members responsible for helping bring stories to life in ways that create joy, connection, and lasting memories for families around the globe. Mazloum replaces Josh D'Amaro, who was recently appointed CEO of The Walt Disney Company. In this role, he also advances Disney's longstanding commitment to working alongside Make-A-Wish, the world's largest wish‑granting partner, to help deliver transformative wish experiences for children with critical illnesses. On average, a Disney wish is granted every hour of every day, making Disney the number one wish granter for Make-A-Wish.

Mazloum's leadership also spans Disney Parks and Disney Signature Experiences, as well as Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Consumer Products. Previously, Mazloum served as president of Disneyland Resort and president of Disney Signature Experiences, where he guided periods of significant growth while maintaining a strong focus on guest experience and emotional impact. He began his Disney career with Disney Cruise Line in 1998 and has held senior leadership roles across Walt Disney World Resort, EPCOT, and Disney Springs, consistently championing experiences that place children and families at the center.

Bayley leads Royal Caribbean, the world's largest cruise line, overseeing a global workforce of more than 60,000 employees who deliver immersive vacation experiences to millions of guests each year across a fleet visiting more than 300 destinations. He is responsible for the brand's end‑to‑end operations, including its expanding portfolio of exclusive Perfect Day destinations and Royal Beach Clubs, with a focus on designing experiences that bring families together and create lasting memories.

Under Bayley's leadership, Royal Caribbean has continued to innovate across ship design, destination development, and global growth, with a consistent emphasis on guest experience and emotional connection. His more than four-decade career with the company began at sea as an assistant purser and progressed through senior leadership roles spanning guest satisfaction, hotel operations, fleet operations, and global sales and marketing. He is widely recognized within the industry for his leadership, serving on the global board of directors for the Cruise Lines International Association and on the executive committee of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, as well as spearheading the company's deep commitment to Make-A-Wish, which to date has granted more than 3,000 wishes.

"Thomas and Michael bring a deep understanding of how powerful experiences can create connection, joy, and lasting memories for families," said Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. "That expertise will help us reach more children and deepen the impact of every wish, so even more families can experience the hope and strength a wish can bring."

Make-A-Wish America's national board unites leaders from across finance, operations, marketing, technology, healthcare, and philanthropy in support of the organization's mission. Through strategic oversight and counsel, board members help ensure wish experiences continue to deliver measurable impact for children facing critical illnesses.

Make-A-Wish America operates 57 chapters across the United States, each supported by local boards committed to delivering life-changing wishes in their communities.

To learn more about Make-A-Wish and how to get involved, visit wish.org.

About Make-A-Wish®
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Founded in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 20,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 650,000 wishes worldwide; more than 400,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.

SOURCE MAKE-A-WISH AMERICA